Submissions Guidelines
Welcome to the Kosmic Comics Submissions Guidelines. This page will explain what you must include when submitting your materials to Kosmic Comics. If you read through this document and still have questions, please visit the Submissions portion of our Frequently Asked Questions
Kosmic Comics Submissions Policy
Kosmic Comics will not request submitters to include SASEs [a self-addressed, stamped envelope] with their submissions so that the submission, along with a response form, could be returned to the author. Kosmic will not send written responses for unsolicited submissions. Creators should only expect to hear from a Kosmic Comics editor regarding their submission if an editor wishes to hire them for work. Submissions will not be returned to the sender.
Kosmic welcomes your submissions, and all submissions will be reviewed. Submissions can not be mailed back to the sender. The reason for this policy has primarily to do with the growing number of submissions; Kosmic Comics simply does not have the resources necessary to respond individually to each submission. Submitted samples are often kept on file for future reference, but only those creators for whom Kosmic has immediate work will be contacted.
View Portfolio Presentation Tutorial
(if you're going to attend a convention and want to get feedback on your artwork)
Kosmic Comics is not accepting submissions from writers at this time. Thank you.
Please note that Kosmic Comics does not review unsolicited scripts, story ideas, or proposals pertaining to properties currently published by Kosmic Comics, its manga/ graphic novels division, Alpha Kosmic or any property owned by the submitter. Such material will be destroyed without review.
SEQUENTIAL ART
Consider carefully what you are sending, try to be as professional as possible, after all you are submitting to gain work in a professional capacity. An editor wants to see that you can draw sequential art, not pinups. Five or six consecutive story pages are usually adequate. You should include “quiet scenes” as well as action, utilize a wide variety of faces, figures (male, female, normal people as well as "super" characters, etc.), and well-realized settings. Ask yourself the following questions: Does the angle you've chosen take full advantage of the dramatic potential in a scene? What about perspective? Do the backgrounds establish where the characters are in relationship to their surroundings and to each other? Is the scaling between characters and/or objects representative of their correct proportions? Is there a well-defined foreground, middle ground, and background? Remember storytelling is king! Is there a clear, readable story even without word balloons or captions? Have you left adequate room for the dialogue and captions? If you have addressed these things then you are ready to submit.
COVER ART/PIN-UPS
Please submit only up to five covers/pin-ups. Be forewarned that it is extremely rare that we would hire someone solely for cover work or pin-ups. Also, you must include a signed copy of the Submissions Agreement if you are submitting any artwork featuring a character of your own creation.
Notes:
# Never send original art. Send photocopies only. Make sure the photocopies you send are clean and sharp and easy to "read." Be sure that each page has your name, address, and phone number clearly written somewhere on it.
# Please send submissions to:
Submissions
c/o Kosmic Comics
PO Box 363 STN Main
Whitby, ON
L1N 5S4
Canada
# We do not publish page rates. If an editor is interested in working with you, you will work out a financial deal at that time.
# Do not send samples/proposals via facsimile (fax) or email. All such submissions will be destroyed without review.
# Do not make telephone follow-ups to check on the status of your submission. It is Kosmic’s policy to respond to submissions only if an editor wishes to hire the creator.
SEQUENTIAL ART
Consider carefully what you are sending, try to be as professional as possible, after all you are submitting to gain work in a professional capacity. An editor wants to see that you can ink sequential art, not pinups. Five or six consecutive story pages is usually adequate. Include “quiet scenes” as well as action, utilize a wide variety of faces, figures (male, female, normal people as well as "super" characters, etc.), and well-realized settings.
Notes:
# If you would like sample pages to ink, please download a sample page from our website www.kosmiccomics.com
# Please send submissions to:
Submissions
c/o Kosmic Comics
PO Box 363 STN Main
Whitby, ON
L1N 5S4
Canada
# We do not publish page rates. If an editor is interested in working with you, you will work out a financial deal at that time.
# Do not send samples/proposals via facsimile (fax) or email. All such submissions will be destroyed without review.
# Do not make telephone follow-ups to check on the status of your submission. It is Kosmic’s policy to respond to submissions only if an editor wishes to hire the creator.
SEQUENTIAL ART
Please submit at least 5 pages of sequential art. We would also be interested to see how you handle different types of storytelling. For instance, how you would color 5 pages of Lung-mei, ‘The Dragon current’, as opposed to 5 pages of Ravager. Editors are looking for colorists who can work in many different styles and moods and accurately aid in telling a story through the use of color.
FORMAT
We can accept files in any standard format such as JPG, EPS, TIFF, etc. However, all files MUST be CMYK. Files can be either 72 dpi or 300 dpi and it's recommended that file dimensions are no smaller that 7" x 10". Files may be supplied on CD. Please include a resume of past work history (if applicable) and a cover letter.
Notes:
# Feel free to scan any black and white comics if you are in need of pages to use if you are in need of sample pages, or download some from our website, www.kosmiccomics.com
# Please send all coloring submissions to:
Submissions
c/o Kosmic Comics
PO Box 363 STN Main
Whitby, ON
L1N 5S4
Canada
# We do not publish page rates. If an editor is interested in working with you, you will work out a financial deal at that time.
# Do not send samples/proposals via facsimile (fax) or email. All such submissions will be destroyed without review.
# Do not make telephone follow-ups to check on the status of your submission. It is Kosmic’s policy to respond to submissions only if an editor wishes to hire the creator.
SEQUENTIAL ART
Please submit at least 5 pages of story to show diversity of balloons and sound effects, as well as font choice. In addition, please show examples of italicized and bold text.
TITLES
Please include examples of titles in your submissions. By titles, we mean story/story arc titles not logos.
FORMAT
We can accept files in any standard format such as JPG, EPS, TIFF, etc. Files can be either 72 dpi or 300 dpi and it's recommended that file dimensions are no smaller that 7" x 10". Files may be supplied on CD. Please include a resume of past work history (if applicable) and a cover letter.
Notes:
# We prefer black and white or grayscale submissions rather than color. It is easier to determine your skill if we aren't distracted by coloring.
# Please send all lettering submissions to:
Submissions
c/o Kosmic Comics
PO Box 363 STN Main
Whitby, ON
L1N 5S4
Canada
# We do not publish page rates. If an editor is interested in working with you, you will work out a financial deal at that time.
# Do not send samples/proposals via facsimile (fax) or email. All such submissions will be destroyed without review.
# Do not make telephone follow-ups to check on the status of your submission. It is Kosmic’s policy to respond to submissions only if an editor wishes to hire the creator.
PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION TUTORIAL
Attention aspiring artists!
If you're planning to show us your portfolio during a convention, PLEASE read through our Portfolio Presentation tutorial. It's full of information on what our editors’ look for during portfolio reviews and it's recommended that you follow these guidelines!
ARTIST'S PORTFOLIO REVIEW PREP CHECKLIST
Showing your work to an editor for the first time - especially in a convention setting - can be an exhausting, nerve-wracking event. It's likely you'll have to wait in line for several hours with other people who are vying for the same jobs as you, watching as, one by one; those in line ahead of you take their turn. By the time you reach the head of the line, you may be tired, hungry, or dying to use the restroom. You may be nervous, excited, or filled with dread - all natural reactions to being in a situation in which you're submitting your work to a stranger for judgment. It's not unusual to discover afterwards that you failed to voice all of the clever things you were going to say, or that all of the questions you had planned to ask were forgotten. (For this reason, you should write them down ahead of time and consult your list at the end of the review.)
Likewise, the editor may be tired as well. He or she has perhaps seen dozens of portfolios already that day and has repeated the same advice to probably ninety-nine percent of those who have come before you.
Put it all together and it's a recipe for miscommunication, conflicting expectations, and possibly dashed hopes. Below are some steps you can take to create the best possible experience for both yourself and the editor, and to ensure that the hours you've put into preparing your work and waiting in line are worth the effort.
BEFORE YOU GET IN LINE, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS HONESTLY:
Have you shown your work to:
*your parents?
*your friends?
*your teachers?
*and especially to professional artists attending the convention?
Has the consensus been that your work is of professional quality?
If the answers to those questions is no, then we strongly advise you not to go through the process of showing your work.
Consider this: an editor's job is to find artists whose work is polished enough that they could start on a professional assignment today. An editor can look at your work and assess whether or not your samples demonstrate that you have what it takes to be a professional comics’ artist. If your work is not yet of professional caliber, most editors are not qualified to tell you specifically what you need to do to raise your skills to a professional level. They are project managers, not teachers.
Unless you have people honestly telling you that you're working at a professional level, instead of wasting your time waiting in line for an editor to tell you that you're not ready for professional work, avail yourself of the many professional artists that attend major conventions. Most will have their original work on display, and are often happy to discuss specific techniques, how they developed their skills, what kind of classes or schools they attended, etc.
Becoming a professional comics’ artist doesn't happen overnight. It requires a lot of dedication and hard work. Until you've studied the craft and learned the essentials, you have nothing to gain by showing your work to an editor.
For many aspiring artists, showing ones work to an editor seems to have become an end in and of itself. Unfortunately, those artists are usually disappointed by the experience because they have not thought through what their goals should be when showing their work.
WHAT YOUR GOAL SHOULD BE IN SHOWING YOUR WORK:
To get a job drawing comics.
If your work is not yet of professional quality, you're not ready for a job and should not be showing your work.
Treat the portfolio review experience like a job interview. Would you apply for a job as a brain surgeon if you weren't already a qualified brain surgeon? Of course not. Comics’ artist is a job, just like any other, with its own set of necessary skills and qualifications. Come to the interview prepared to show that you're qualified.
Now, if this is your first time showing your work, the odds are stacked against you walking away with an assignment, but you can still learn and benefit from the experience.
WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT:
Two to ten minutes of an editor's time. Period!
The editor will look at your samples and discuss them with you. He or she will tell you what they like about what you've done, as well as areas they think you could improve upon. They may invite you to send them more samples in the future. There is a very, very slim chance that the editor will like your work enough that he or she may offer you a job on the spot, but don't expect it. Look upon this as your first opportunity to develop a professional's "thick skin." Editors are often harried and tired at conventions, and they aren't always at their best. If you receive brusque treatment, don't take it personally. Keep in mind that the editor's primary job is to find creators who are accomplished enough to take on an assignment right now - not a year from now. Most will give you a fair assessment of your work, but if you're looking for advice on how to draw and/or a detailed critique, show your work to friends, family, teachers, and other artists, especially professional artists who are also attending the show.
WHAT TO BRING:
Pencillers:
Five or six consecutive story pages showing panel-to-panel continuity.
Pick a story or sequence that shows your range: a quiet scene followed by an action scene; scenes that demonstrate how you handle a wide variety of subject matter, including regular people, street scenes, cars, buildings, trees, animals, etc. The more range you can demonstrate, the more likely you are to land a job. You may bring more work to show, but don't count on the editor looking at every single page you've ever drawn. Show only what you feel to be your best work.
The script or plot from which you worked.
If you drew your story sequence from a written plot or script, bring it along. The editor may not ask for it, but if they want to compare what was asked for in the script with what you've drawn, you'll be able to show them.
If you also plan to show inked work, bring good, readable copies of the penciled pages.
If your inks aren't of professional quality, you're better off not showing them. Concentrate the review on what you do best. No editor expects you to be accomplished in every aspect of the field. Show only what you feel to be your best work.
If you wish to show pinups or other single-page illustrations, show them last - after your story pages.
While it's true that editors hire artists to produce covers and the occasional pinup, the vast majority of work available for artists is drawing story pages (the average comic book has 22 pages of story and one cover). An editor needs to know you can tell a story with pictures. Show only what you feel to be your best work.
An envelope containing copies of the work you're showing with your name and contact information on every single page.
The editor may or may not ask you to leave copies of your samples. If he or she does, you'll be prepared.
Inkers:
At least six story pages showing panel-to-panel continuity.
Pick a story or sequence that shows your range; scenes that demonstrate how you handle a wide variety of subject matter, including regular people, street scenes, cars, buildings, trees, animals, etc. The more range you can demonstrate, the more likely you are to land a job. If possible, obtain pencils from a variety of artists of varying styles. Show only what you feel to be your best work.
Good, readable copies of the penciled pages from which you worked.
An editor will absolutely want to compare your work with the original pencils.
An envelope containing copies of the work you're showing (and copies of the pencils) with your name and contact information on every single page.
The editor may or may not ask you to leave copies of your samples. If he or she does, you'll be prepared.
WHAT TO DO:
Use the time you spend in line to prepare.
Hopefully, you will have prepared your portfolio before ever getting into line for Portfolio Review, but while you're waiting, take another look at it. Make sure that it is well organized and that the pages you wish to show are in the front of the portfolio and in the correct order. Talk to the people in line ahead of you and behind you. You're going to be there awhile, so you may as well take advantage of each other's knowledge and experience. Compare experiences, share tips, and critique one another's work. It's not altogether improbable that the person sitting next to you may one day be a fellow professional, a collaborator, or a helpful contact.
Treat the review session like a job interview.
You don't have to dress up, but be neat and clean. Speak clearly. Make eye contact. Let the editor know you're engaged in the process. Try to relax. If the editor didn't want to look at your work, he or she wouldn't be there.
Listen to what the editor has to say.
That's the reason you've been waiting in line. Take notes if you want. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you don't understand what point the editor is trying to make or the terminology he or she uses.
Let the review end when it's over.
Yes this is your big chance, but remember what we said about not setting your expectations too high. If the review session appears to be at an end and the editor has not offered you a job, it is permissible to ask him or her if they'd like to see more of your work (assuming you've brought more to show), or if you can send additional samples in the future. But don't overstay your welcome. Other people are in line waiting for their turn.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
Don't apologize for your work.
If your portfolio is unorganized, or you don't have any story pages to show, or the work is only half finished, then do apologize for wasting the editor's time. However, if you've done your prep work and you've waited in line, let your work speak for itself and allow the editor to get on with the review.
Don't defend your work.
Any comments the editor makes will be directed at specific aspects of your work, not you. Listen to the editor's comments and try to learn from them. If an editor makes critical comments about your work, don't try to "explain" them away. Those initial context-free reactions are valuable, because that is what a professional editor is honestly "seeing" when they're looking at your work, regardless of what you intended. If you disagree with the editor's assessment of your work, let it go. Find another editor to whom you can show your work. Arguing with an editor will not change their opinion of your capabilities, and it certainly won't get you any closer to a job. Sure, some editors are jerks (just as some artists are), but there also exists the possibility that he or she knows what they're talking about.
Don't try to force copies of your work on the editor.
If the editor doesn't ask you to leave copies of your work, take the hint. If you force the issue, the editor will most likely accept the copies, but they will end up in the garbage before the end of the convention.
Don't call the editor after the convention.
The only time it is acceptable to phone an editor after showing them your samples is if they told you they had a job for you. Other than that, restrict your contact to mailing new sets of samples (for God's sake, don't send editors the same pages they saw at the convention unless they've asked you to!).
The most important thing to remember when showing your work to an editor is that this is your first contact with a new aspect of the comics industry. If you've been a life long comics fan, this is your opportunity to see things from the side of the people who create comics for a living. Even if it's just for a few moments, you've been invited behind the scenes. Take advantage of the invitation, use the opportunity, and learn from the experience.
FOR WRITERS
We've saved writers for last because, unfortunately, conventions are not ideal places to present stories or scripts to editors. Art can be looked at and evaluated in a few seconds; reading a script takes time - more time than an editor has available at a con. Writer's guidelines can be found here.
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She’s smart and sexy, strong and demur; a beautiful lady with a core of steel, which makes Lung-mei one lucky guy... maybe she is the tigress to the dragon? Enquiring minds would sure like to know!
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